If you're thinking about getting an EV charger installed, you might have already started wondering whether your fuseboard will need replacing too.
The good news is, it doesn't automatically mean you need a new one! At Duravault, we'll always have a proper look at your existing electrical installation before recommending any extra work. A typical EV charger installation can cost around £800–£1,500, while a new fuseboard could add another £500–£1,000 or more depending on what's needed. So before you start worrying about another big expense, let us check what you've already got. You might find your existing board is absolutely fine.
Do I really need a new fuseboard for an EV charger?
This is something we're asked about quite regularly, and we completely understand why. If you've been doing a bit of Googling before getting quotes, you may have come across information saying that an EV charger means you'll need a new fuseboard. It's easy to read that and immediately start adding another few hundred pounds to the cost of your new car!
The reality is that there's no one-size-fits-all answer. We'll need to look at the condition of your existing board, the protection it provides, whether there are enough spare ways and where it's positioned in your home. If everything is suitable, there's no reason to replace a relatively new fuseboard simply because you're adding an EV charger.
We recently helped a family on Mountbatten Avenue in the Sandal area of Wakefield who were in exactly this situation. They live in a three-bedroom semi-detached home with a driveway at the front and were changing their car for a larger model following the birth of twins. With the new family-sized car being an EV, they were also looking into having a charger installed at home.
As you'd expect, they were getting a few quotes and doing their homework before deciding what they needed. They'd seen online that their fuseboard might need replacing as part of the installation, and they were understandably concerned about the extra cost. Their board had only been replaced around five years ago, so the thought of having to replace it again wasn't exactly welcome news!
Luckily, once we had a proper look at everything, there was nothing to worry about. Their existing fuseboard already had RCD protection, there were enough spare ways available and, importantly, the board was in a suitable position for the charger installation. This meant we could get on with installing the EV charger without replacing a perfectly good fuseboard.
Duravault - EV charger installation in Wakefield
At Duravault, we want your EV charger installation to be as straightforward as possible. As your EV Charger Installer In Wakefield, we'll look at what you've already got, talk you through your options and only recommend additional work where it's genuinely needed. There's no point replacing something that's perfectly suitable just for the sake of it.
If you're thinking about getting an EV charger and want to know whether your existing fuseboard is up to the job, contact Duravault today by phone on 01134369988 or via our contact form.
